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Moving the earth instead of the scope

Discussion in 'Beginner's Corner' started by Pleiades, Sep 26, 2017.

Moving the earth instead of the scope

Started by Pleiades on Sep 26, 2017 at 8:15 AM

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  1. Pleiades

    Pleiades Well-Known Member

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    If I view Saturn again, shortly after nightfall, and the Lagoon Nebula is close to the ecliptic line, will it come into view if I leave my scope stationary?

    According to my star map, the objects will be very close. Thinking of enjoying Saturn again, the switching to binoculars fore a little while while the lagoon drifts into view. Thinking of using the 40mm for a shotgun approach.
     
  2. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Depends on whether you have an EQ mount I reckon.

    m8 1830.jpg

    I think the 36% waxing crescent Moon in the vicinity might make viewing M8 tricky. I'd prefer a 3-4mm exit pupil minimum with a smaller aperture. Talking of 40mm SvBony Plossls, I've pulled the trigger on a pair.

    Is it my imagination or does the Amazon US site show the drawtube inverted? lol us2.jpg

    They amended this on Amazon UK, even if they can't spell in British English!

    uk1.jpg

    I want to try these as a bino pair. I'm still researching the OEM, they look familiar.
     
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  3. Pleiades

    Pleiades Well-Known Member

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    For whatever reasons, I've had difficulty in finding the Lagoon/ Trifid Nebulas. This evening, right before sunset, I'm planning on launching from the moon, to Saturn, then wondering up the MW as darkness thickens. I'm wanting to try my new 6mm Celestron Omni out on the moon.
     
  4. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    I always associate the Lagoon and Trifid with mid summer. They reach transit in twilight for me now, so no real chance of seeing them. A broadband filter can work. I saw them earlier this year. You may need a 2mm exit pupil to see detail in the Trifid.

    I was viewing the Moon earlier with the 10mm Svbony. The 6mm Omni's quite good in anything over f/6.
     
  5. Pleiades

    Pleiades Well-Known Member

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    Session 1 of 2 for tonight:
    The moon was awesome, I never knew how beautiful the moon could be. As it grew darker, the craters, brew in contrast as the sky went dark. I started with 20x, 40x, 60x and worked my way down to my new 6mm. It was stretching it, but I am 100% happy with it.
    Next I moved to Saturn, again, I started at 20x and moved my way all the way down to 130x with my new 6mm. I live on the side of a Tennessee foothill, and it was a splendid night (Low LP). I have to say, it was money well spent.
    Now, I'm heading in for nachos. Tennessee style with a little BBQ sauce. (Make your tongue beat your brains out.)
    Sesson 2/2 later tonight.


    Man this is FUN!!
     
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  6. Pleiades

    Pleiades Well-Known Member

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    I used both my SvBony eyepieces tonight. I am still getting used to the 40mm, and I'll likely pick up a 32mm Omni at some point. I really like my Celestron Omni 15mm & GSO 20mm eye pieces. They are my main stays.
     
  7. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    I started off in twilight with the Moon at 54x with the 90mm Orion Mak and the 23mm SvBony Aspheric. It was around Antoniadi 2 but the transparency was below average. Altitude was about 17°, azimuth 15° with the mean distance at 404,161 kilometres (Ophiuchus). I had a stacked contrast filter/Baader Fringe Killer in the diagonal nosepiece, and until it got darker, a Wratten #12 Deep Yellow (in the eyepiece) as well.

    PROCLUS.jpg
    This is a simulation from the Virtual Moon Atlas (tweaked in GIMP) around 19:00 British Summer Time

    I upped the magnification (now without the Wratten #12) to about 109x then 125x with the 10mm Aspheric. I could easily discern the mountain peaks in Theophilus and see the Catherina P ghost crater. Sinus Asperitatis was more nicely defined than in the simulation above with a lot of detail apparent. Good detail in the Sea of Tranquillity. The highlight for me was the bright Proclus crater. It's the second brightest crater on the Moon (after Aristarchus) as it is a younger crater and its ejecta is still very white. I believe it was a shallow impact as well from the ray streaking. The 10mm SvBony Aspheric was as sharp and bright virtually to the edge and would easily give my slightly more expensive 10mm Baader Eudiascopic a run for its money.

    Baadertwins.jpg

    I'm hoping the 10mm SvBony Aspherics work well in the binoviewer.
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2017
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  8. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    From what I've read the 40mm is only 40° AFOV, which may explain a bit. I think they'll be good in the bino though. Personally, I'd go for the GSO or Meade 32mm. The GSO is especially good. There isn't that much difference between the GSO and Barsta 32mm Plossls, but the GSO has a full 50° AFOV, which the Barsta doesn't, and most people prefer it ergonomically. Plus, no undercut. If you do get a get a GSO with an undercut the lower lip is tapered (TeleVue style) so plays well with compression rings.

    32mm Barsta GSO Plossls.jpg
    Celestron/Barsta 32mm Plossl (left) and Revelation/GSO (right). Ostensibly the same thing, but IMO the GSO has the edge.
     
  9. Pleiades

    Pleiades Well-Known Member

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    I do really like my GSO a lot.
     
  10. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    The 32mm is really good. I have 6mm, 9mm, 12mm, 15mm, 25mm and 32mm GSO Plossls. They're all good. I really like the 30mm Vixen NPL as well.

    Vixen 30mm NPL.jpg

    The drawtube (brass) undercut is nice and shallow and the glass is comparable to TeleVue (possibly Lanthanum). The only thing that lets it down IMO is the plastic click-stop eyeguard. It works well and is comfortable to use, but I wonder about its long term durability.
     
  11. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    I've shied away from 40mm EPs since I've found they don't show any more of the sky than a comparable 32mm EP (with the same AFOV) given the limitations of the 1.25" barrel. I have a GSO 32mm that really opened the sky for my Maks. It has the dreaded "blackout" issue but once you get used to it, your eye will automatically find the sweet spot. I use my reflector (with a BST flat-field 19mm EP) though when I want a more expansive field, but I do like my GSO 32!
     
  12. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    40mm Plossls can be hard work, it's the only way for me to get a 3.1 mm exit pupil on my 102mm, f/12.7 Mak though. I think this is probably the lowest magnification (32.5x) I can get on the Mak before I can see the obstruction.

    I'm hoping the 40mm SvBony Plossls will enable me to utilise the Baader UHC-S on M42 with my WO binoviewer.
     
  13. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    I hope the SvBony plossls work well for you. Here is my prized GSO 32mm:
    GSO 32mm EP.jpg
     
  14. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Reggie, I'm looking forward to trying them. I think the GSO 32mm Plossl is one of the best in its class.
     
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